With an air conditioner, you have one expectation from it: that it will blow cool air into your home so you can enjoy comfort during hot weather. And since everyone associates “cool” with “ice,” doesn’t it make sense that some ice might appear on an air conditioning system while it works?
Well, it shouldn’t. And if you’re reading this, it means you know that it shouldn’t. You’ve discovered that ice has started to form along the indoor coils of your AC and want to know why it’s happening—and what you can do about it.
The reasons for a frozen evaporator coil
The indoor coil of an air conditioner is called the evaporator coil, and it does the job of absorbing heat from your indoor air to lower its temperature. But if something prevents the coil from absorbing sufficient heat, the cold refrigerant inside it will cause the water vapor on the coil to freeze. And the ice will further restrict heat absorption, creating a vicious cycle until the coil absorbs no heat at all.
What causes the coil to lose its absorption power in the first place? There are three primary causes:
- Low refrigerant: Refrigerant leaks are one of the worst issues an AC can face, and a frozen coil is an early sign it’s happening.
- Dirty coil: Grime and dust on the coil serves as insulators against heat.
- Clogged air filter: This will restrict sufficient warm air from entering the cabinet for the coil to absorb.
Regardless of the reason for the ice on the coil, don’t attempt to scrape it off yourself. Not only will this do nothing to fix the root cause, it may damage the coil. Call for air conditioning technicians to look into the problem, fix it, and then defrost the coil.
Call Southeast Air & Heat for air conditioning repair service in Orlando, FL.
